Yarn traversing mechanism

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a yarn traversing mechanism which makes it possible to run an endless belt with several yarn guides attached thereto and at the same time to rotate a support holding said endless belt on the longitudinal axis of the endless belt and to thereby traverse the yarn. This traversing mechanism is so simplified and so easy of operation that it is suitable for highspeed package winding.

United States Patent Ishihara I 1 1 Aug. 29, 1972 [54] YARN TRAVERSING MECHANISM 3,294,327 12/1966 Horwood ..242/158 B X 8/1967 Beckwith, Jr ..242/l58 B X H1970 Roberts ..242/l58 B X Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath AttorneyWenderoth, Lind & Ponack [57] ABSTRACT The present invention provides a yarn traversing mechanism which makes it possible to run an endless belt with several yarn guides attached thereto and at the same time to rotate a support holding said endless belt on the longitudinal axis of the endless belt and to thereby traverse the yarn. This traversing mechanism is so simplified and so easy of operation that it is suitable for high-speed package winding.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 29, 1972 3,687,383

' 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Aug. 29, 1972 3,687,383

2 Sheets-Shee t 2 FIG. 5

YARN TRAVERSING MECHANISM The present invention relates to a traversing mechanism whereby yarn is traversed at high speeds and accurately with a rotatable endless belt having several yarn guides attached thereto without the use of traverse guides.

So far in parallel with the speeding-up of a yarn winding machine, a mechanism for traversing yarn has been developed. As a general trend, rotary members are employed for speeding-up in lieu of reciprocating traverse members. For instance, one such arrangement is a split drum method whereby yarn is guided and traversed with a groove, which is an integral part of the drum, on the periphery of the drum. This groove finishing is complicated and involved, and it is difficult to obtain a satisfactory finishing surface, resulting in an adverse effecton the yarn. Further this machine has a disadvantage that it becomes voluminous and occupies a large floor space. In belt yarn traversing, a plurality of belts are adapted to run opposite to each other and to traverse yarn by the help of a yarn guide or a blade mounted on the periphery of the belts. In order that the receipt and delivery of the yarn may be accurate at the points of reversal, high precision parts are required, and with the use of a plurality of belts, the traversing mechanism becomes complicated and voluminous. A 1

further disadvantage of this belt system is that it is difficult to carryout tandem windings and a plurality of tandem windings.

The present invention is characterized in that yarn is traversed by running an endless belt while a rotary frame which supports the a running endless belt and several yarn guides is rotated.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a traversing mechanism of simple construction to enable a high speed winding operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a traversing mechanism which is compact and makes the transfer of yarn accurate.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the traversing mechanism of the invention partly cut away.

FIG. 2 is a vertical side view of the traversing mechanism of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a package winding apparatus using the traversing mechanism of the present invention.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating the running conditions of an endless belt and the principle of yarn traversing in accordance with the present invention.

Many endless belt systems employ a pair of endless belts laid one over the other. On the sides of the belts running opposite to each other are secured yarn guides to traverse the yarn. The present invention is based on a single endless belt process. In FIG. 5, in traversing motion M of the yarn, belt 3 is applied to drive pulley l and driven pulley 2 and runs in the direction of arrow R. Assume that the endless belt is rotated through 180 on the axis which is drawn by connecting each axis of the drive and driven pulleys, and traversing motion M is obtained. In this case the running direction of the belt is reversed; when one side of belt 3 is employed, the direction of arrow R becomes opposite to the traversing motion M of the yarn. As shown in FIG. 6, it is found that traversing motions of the yarn can be obtained by reversing the belt running direction. Yarn guides are mounted on the belt at points a, b, c, and d which are obtained by dividing the belt into four equal parts. When point a moves in the direction of the arrow R, the belt is rotated through 180 from traversing mo tion M to traversing motion M, point a in M moves obliquely to be point a in M; in the next rotation, point b in M occupies the position of point d in M. At every rotation through 180 the running direction of the yarn guides is reversed.

, One embodiment of the present invention will be described below referring to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1 belt 3 is applied to drive pulley l and driven pulley 2 and may be a flat power belt, a chain belt, a timing belt, etc. Several yarn guides 4 are mounted on the periphery of said belt at an appropriate distance from each other. To rotate this endless belt, rotary frame 7 is provided, the external shape of which is preferably cylindrical. End shaft is mounted on fixed support 8 via ball bearings and is driven by an outer force at an appropriate speed to actuate the rotatable frame. Said endless belt is disposed in rotary frame 7. Shaft 5 of drive pulley 1 and shaft 6 of driven pulley 2 are each supported with the rotary frame throughbearings. To drive endless belt 3, pinion 10 fixed on the extended portion of driving shaft 5 and bevel gear 9 which is an integral part of fixed support 8 are meshed together. As rotary frame 7 rotates, pinion 10 rotates. As driving shaft 5 rotates, belt 3 runs in a predetermined direction via the rotation of driving pulley 1. As described above, yarn guides 4 are mounted on the periphery of belt 3. In FIG. 1, each yarn guide 4 is secured at points a, b, c and d. The tip of the yarn guides project outwardly through a slit set on the side wall of the rotary frame so that yarn guides 4 run freely.

In FIG. 4, yarn 11 runs about half the circle of rotary frame 7, and wraps itself around package 13. Thus yarn 11 runs around the periphery of rotary frame 7, covering contact angle 0 to move to touch roll 12. This angle of contact is adjustable by moving the position of touch roll 12. Yarn guide 4 runs together with the belt, during which time it rotates together with rotary frame 7 in a given direction. While the yarn guide covers the distance between the two points, rotary frame 7 is adapted to rotate through This can be set by the selection of the teeth of pinion 10 and bevel gear 9. In FIG. 4, while right-hand yarn guide 4 is displaced to the left by the 180 rotation of rotary frame 7, it runs between the two points in the belt running direction and guides yarn 11. When yarn 11 finishes contact at angle 0 and moves to touch roll 12, yarn guide 4 separates from yarn 11. The state at this time is as shown in traversing motion M of yarn in FIG. 6. That is, the yarn separates from yarn guide 4 near right-hand point a. On the supply side of yarn 11, yarn guide 4 at point b guides yarn 11 and proceeds in the opposite direction. This yarn guide proceeds in the direction of 1 point d and separates from yarn 11 at point d. At this tact 0. And traverse length equals the length of endless belt 3 that proceeds when rotary frame 7 rotates through 180, so the traverse length can freely be selected by the alteration of belt speed relative to the rotation of the frame. Further by the disposition of additional yarn guides, a tandem winding or a plurality of tandem windings become possible with only one endless belt. And with the arrangement of a plurality of endless belts, traversing motions can readily be given to yarn by the present invention.

In short the traversing mechanism of the present invention can readily be speeded up and reduced in size. Power loss is less and the transfer of yarn is accurate. Traverse length can freely be selected. Hence this novel traversing mechanism not only replaces conventional mechanisms but also has various other uses because of its noiseless operation and low equipment cost.

What is claimed is:

' 1. A yarn traversing mechanism comprising a rotatable rotary frame mounted on a fixed support, an endless belt disposed longitudinally in said rotary frame, a plurality of yarn guides mounted around the outer periphery of said endless belt, means operably associated with said rotary frame for rotating said rotary frame, and means connected to said endless belt for driving said endless belt and said yarn guides through a predetermined yam traverse length upon a rotation of said rotary frame.

2. The mechanism claimed in claim 1, further comprising a roll positioned between said rotary frame and a yam package such that the yarn contacts the periphery of said rotary frame for a distance corresponding to a predetermined contact angle. 

1. A yarn traversing mechanism comprising a rotatable rotary frame mounted on a fixed support, an endless belt disposed longitudinally in said rotary frame, a plurality of yarn guides mounted around the outer periphery of said endless belt, means operably associated with said rotary frame for rotating said rotary frame, and means connected to said endless belt for driving said endless belt and said yarn guides through a predetermined yarn traverse length upon a 180* rotation of said rotary frame.
 2. The mechanism claimed in claim 1, further comprising a roll positioned between said rotary frame and a yarn package such that the yarn contacts the periphery of said rotary frame for a distance corresponding to a predetermined contact angle. 